Oops, Been Away Too Long!!!

Sorry, gang, for being away way too long but when you have limited Internet access, a new job, and a lot of other things going on in life some things get pushed out of the way for a while. Unfortunately it was my blog and my main website. But here I am again, and I'm ready for 2010 to get here. There's a lot going on, so let's dig in...

I finally left Scott and White Hospital in Temple back around the end of September. When you have problems with gigantic egos that permeate your department and those egos are trying to get you into serious trouble for reasons that are not your fault, then you know it's time to go. I left a day before my given departure date because I had had it with the idiots that worked there. But fortunately I already had a job lined up with Convergys in McGregor, which is a customer service company that serves clients worldwide. It's a good job. I work the evening shift except for Sundays which are daytime. That may change in the future but for now I'm good.

Christmas is going to be a happy time around the house, including for me. I can't exactly say what's going to be under the tree but I can tell you that I managed to buy some gear for the hamshack that I had been wanting for some time. One thing is West Mountain Radio's Rigblaster Pro, which will FINALLY allow me to start using the digital modes; I have always wanted to experiment with PSK-31 and -63, RTTY, and more. I may even try a little SSTV but we'll see about that. The Rigblaster will be hooked up to my Yaesu FT-857, which should compliment each other beautifully. I opened up the case of the Rigblaster and saw how clean the circuitry was and how easy the jumper tabs are to get to; the instructions are easy to read as well. I also ordered the complete software package offered by Scott, N3FJP. I have always been a fan of his contest software because it is so very easy to use; now I have the entire compliation along with registration for everything on the way. I can't wait to start using it all, once my new Hewlett-Packard with 4 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive gets installed!

I also purchased a new Radio Shack Scanner, the PRO-164. (Or is it the -163? Anyway...) I have that scanner set up in the bedroom and my PRO-2051 is now in the car. The new scanner is absolutely awesome in the fact that you can enter more information for a particular frequency. You can even enter PL and DCS tones for that frequency if you choose! More search functions for specific services which opens up more frequencies/channels for storage, and more. At $199 I thought it was a steal.

I had also planned to purchase a new weather station by Davis to install to complete the station and have available for all to see online but I simply ran out of cash to do it with. It looks like income tax time will be the time for that to get done; I should have everything else working before then. How I will do that is purchase the Davis Vantage Pro and set that up so all weather information gathered would be accessible by way of the Internet. I am also looking to try to set the weather station up for access by way of APRS. That will also require a 2-meter APRS radio, but I don't think that will be expensive. But all together this weather station could run me at around $1000 if done RIGHT, just like the rest of the shack. It will all be done right.

I'm also looking forward to my 46th birthday, which will be on January 2. Hard to believe I've made it this far and I haven't run myself into the ground...yet. Life has been challenging lately but all will be OK. It's simply a matter of patience.

So what's been going on with you? Drop me a line and share...

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

Some Special News...I'm Gonna Be a Grandpa!!!

That's right. I have reached the period in my life that I'm going to become a grandfather. I was hit with the news today and to be honest that was the last thing I would have expected to hear. My youngest daughter is going to be a mother and I am going to help in any way I can. She's 12 weeks along and the blessed event should happen in mid-February.

You can expect a lot more news in the coming days concerning this! I'm excited, nervous, and scared all at once but I'll be OK I assure you. But I sure could use some advice! You can post your comments here or email me at wr1tx@wr1tx.net and give me whatever advice you can afford to give. Thank you in advance...

Stay tuned...and I really mean it!

WR1TX

It's a Go!!!

Well, everyone...the plan to head down to Magnolia and houston for Field Day is set. I will be leaving Valley Mills at around noon tomorrow and should arrive in Magnolia at around 5 or so. I do need to make a few stops along the way so that will take up some time. The reason for these stops are simple: I have to stop at Randy's (KA5IIA) house in Temple to pick up a dismantled 6-meter antenna and I will also visit with his parents and maybe his sister as well. It's been quite some time since I have seen them so the visit will be enjoyable. I'll also stop along the way to grab a bite to eat and I'll take time doing it. If nothing else, the trip will be a great chance to get away and get a little peace.

It is VERY important to note that it will be very hot for FD this weekend. Temps from 100 to 105 or more will likely be the norm so make the extra effort to dress cool and drink LOTS of liquids, especially water. Believe it or not, this die-hard Dr Pepper drinker will actually stay away from the sodas this weekend! I learned from last year, when I almost dropped from heat exhaustion walking across Temple to go to an FD site. I swore that I would never do that again and I intend to keep my promise. Be careful out there, PLEASE!!!

I do hope to get some pictures from FD in Houston and if I do I will make every effort to get them uploaded onto my website.

One important note: Google is evidently getting rid of the website section of Google Apps. They're going to incorporate those websites still in use (like mine) and will move them over and set them up on Google Sites, which is actually different. To me that area looks like something from Yahoo Groups, but I'll be open about it and see how it goes. I'm not sure when the transition will take place but it is supposed to happen fairly soon. I'll keep you updated on the details. Who knows; maybe the transition will work out in my favor!

Take notice of the poll question I have up concerning FD. I would like to know how many people who view the blog actually participate in FD and what they do during the event. From here on out once the poll is closed I will post a new poll question for you to respond to. No names or calls will be listed; I would just like to look at the numbers of those who respond.

Also, by ALL means feel free to reply comments to anything I may post on this blog. I would love to hear from you and I will certainly respond to your comments. The same goes for personal emails to me; I will respond and respect your thoughts and comments.

Have fun this weekend; I should be back in the saddle early next week with an entry on how everything went. STAY COOL AND HYDRATED, PLEASE!!!

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

Reflections of N5TD...and Field Day

In case you haven't heard, Charlie Schlieper (N5TD) became a Silent Key recently. I got the call from Randy, KA5IIA, early the morning after and I was absolutely shocked. Even though Charlie had been in worsening health over the last several months it was still a surprise to many. I did get to see Kay (his XYL) at both the visitation and the funeral. She had been through so much and it showed. She is a strong lady and I'm sure that she will get through this very difficult time.

My thoughts about Charlie go back a long way, all the way to when I was first licensed as a ham. Charlie was one of the guys who taught the class that got me on my way and was one of the VE's at my test session. I sat in his shack several times and we talked radio a lot. I had even helped him repair a radio that had some issues with the audio, only to discover that the mike element needed cleaning and some junk needed to be removed from around it. But ultimately some of the best times of my life were spent with Charlie and Kay, and I will never forget them; those times will always be cherished...forever.

Field Day was something special with Charlie there. Many times he would bring a lot of equipment with him to do satellite work or perhaps digital modes or something else. The stuff he brought would fill up several tables lined up in a row. That was only a small sample of all the gear the man had, and we all knew it. I sat with him several times and watched as he tried to reach the international space station or in previous years, MIR...or anything else that came up.

Charlie was extremely knowledgeable in electronics. No one could touch the man as far as what he knew, and it's possible that he had forgotten more than most of us knew about electronics and beyond. We knew that and accepted that. Education was extremely important to him and he showed that every day. He had said several times that the day would be a failure if he had not learned at least one new thing, and maybe that's something we should take note of.

Field Day is this weekend, and I go into that weekend with a very heavy heart knowing that Charlie will not be out there somewhere. But I do go forward, and I will pick up the torch that Charlie left behind and I will work hard to learn new things and apply what I have learned. That begins with this weekend, as I go to visit Randy down in Magnolia and will participate in Field Day with a Houston-area QRP and AMSAT club there. There will be lots to learn and I plan to get a lot of pictures taken while I'm there. If I possibly can I will get these posted with captions.

In the meantime, my most sincerely condolences and prayers go to Kay, her son Carl and the entire Schlieper family. Your pain is felt by many, and rest assured that we will be there for you if you need us. But do remember that it is only a farewell, not goodbye, and we will eventually see Charlie again. You can bet that he and Bob, W7KPW (also a silent key), are now talking about how they can help God improve his communications equipment...like it needs any help in the first place. But they will try...

See you at FD...and stay tuned.

WR1TX

Looking Forward to June...

Well everyone, we are well on our way toward summer and it will be here before we know it. For me this summer will provide me with opportunities to pursue ham radio that I haven't had in a long time.

I'm looking at the possibility of operating from Jenny's family's reunion and campout at Lake Whitney June 18-21. If I do that I'll make sure to get some special QSL cards showing my portable operation from there. I'll let everyone know if I do decide to do that.

The following weekend (June 26-28) I plan to be in Magnolia visiting Randy, KA5IIA, and operating with a Houston-area QRP group for Field Day. My car will also be set up for mobile operation, and that is what I'm really looking forward to.

Finally, I'm still working on plans for operating bicycle mobile but the gear will be different from what I had originally planned. I'm now looking at possibly buying the Yaesu FT-10R or -10SR since this series is weather resistant and is Bluetooth capable. With those two options I really can't go wrong there!

I'm also back on the air more at home. I worked AF5DM who lives in Plano on Monday night on 40m CW. We had a great 40-minute chat that could have lasted a long time if we chose to. We are both members of FISTS and SKCC so we exchanged numbers among other information. I should be back on the air later this week.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

A Quick Retrospect...From One Year Ago to Now; Also, a Little Philately

Well everyone, it's almost a year since my life turned upside down. The XYL and I had split up in May of last year and we are still separated, and likely to divorce now. We have rarely talked over the last month of more, and she has pretty well made it clear that she just doesn't want to try to reconcile. It's her loss, and I have decided that I need to move on and just make life for myself as good as I can possibly make it. Jenny has been there for me and she certainly deserves the chance to perhaps make it permanent. But certain things have to happen...and I will leave it at that.

For my hobbies, they had to be put on hold for the most part while I got my life back together again. It's not perfect now, but my life is better than it had been. I can enjoy my hobbies to some extent now and the support for them is there as well. That was something I hadn't had in a very very long time, and I do appreciate that. But it's a two-way street, and I continually work to make sure that Jenny gets her due. She wants me to have fun and explore, and do things like I always have wanted to do them if at all possible. I am now doing that, and I have explained in previous posts what I would really like to do and what I am now doing to get there.

I have now lived in Valley Mills, Texas since early November. It's a different kind of lifestyle and pace and it has taken me a while to get used to it. But I'm getting there and I really do enjoy it now. I'm not sure I really want to leave this quiet and peaceful place, located on State Highway 6 about 25 miles NW of Waco in Bosque County.

We will see what happen in time I'm sure. Only God knows what is in store, and He will not give me more than I can handle. But He sure has made life challenging for me!

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On the Amateur Radio philately front...I have just won on eBay an interesting set of stamps. These were issued by the kingdom of Jordan, and depict a picture of none other than the late King Hussein, JY1. Many of you long-time DXers know that King Hussein loved and supported Amateur Radio, and was even a life member of the ARRL. The monarch was easily one of the most popular and loved hams in the world, bar none. Anyhow, there are 5 stamps in this collection; all of them are in mint condition, never used. One $9.99 bid sealed the set for me. I should be receiving these any day. This comes on the heels of a mint stamp from India showing a picture of Marconi on it. I was happy to see this one come in the mail today.

Where am I getting these Amateur Radio stamps? I have an eBay seller in New York that seems to be able to get these stamps pretty regular. But I'm not alone in collecting Amateur Radio postage stamps from around the world. There are one or two others who bid on these stamps on eBay; we usually wind up bidding against each other. If you want to find out about those who collect these stamps, just do a Google search. I will eventually have a page on my website that is dedicated to Amateur Radio stamps.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

More New Ideas...

OK, gang...if I don't already have enough ideas and plans in place to have happen in the future (both near and far-flung) then here's another one: Operating bicycle mobile.

That's right. Bicycle mobile. Are you kidding, you ask? Nope, and here's why:

1) I need to get myself in shape. I'm well overweight (about 70 pounds) and need to lose a good chunk of my gut. I used to enjoy riding bicycles all the time and I know I would love doing it again.

2) You know I HAD to include Amateur Radio in the mix, right? If I'm going to try something new I will always ask if I can include my favorite hobby, and in this case I can. The research is ongoing now, with the radio (Yaesu FT-817ND) and antennas (Hamsticks) already decided. All I need to do is raise the cash to do this.

3) There are already quite a few hams that do this for fun and exercise. (Google Bicycle Hams of America or Ham Radio Bicycling or similar; there's plenty to read up on there.) There's even one ham that I know of that uses only his bike as his means of transportation! (Oh, heck no...I'm NOT going to bike back and forth to work each day; that's a 90 mile round trip...sorry!) Around Bosque and McLennan counties there are plenty of roads and trails to bike on, so it will not be a problem figuring out where to ride. And with the radio gear that I would have with me along with the cell phone, I can easily stay in touch no matter where I'm at.

Bicycle mobile is not the only thing I'm looking at. I'm also looking at operating Pedestrian Mobile. Now you ask the same thing: Why operate that way? I'd rather stay at home and operate in total comfort. Well, the reasons are the same as for bicycle mobile, and it would be fun of course...just like bicycle mobile would be! (Google HFPack for more details.)

There are obstacles to these ideas for sure, but with a little ingenuity and cash I can get it done. Our hobby allows us to experiment and I plan to do this as much as I can! Isn't it what our hobby is all about?

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Well, it looks like I will be in the Houston area for Field Day this year. Randy (KA5IIA) and I will try to hook up with a local QRP club down there and will do some operating that weekend. It also looks like that I may get the mobile installation taken care of while I'm there! Trust me, that WOULD be nice. We will see, for things may yet change again.

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It's been pretty wet in the Bosque Valley and elsewhere in Central Texas. No flooding here but Limestone County got hit hard within the last 48 hours of this post with around 7-11 inches of rain! That's a lot of water. Elsewhere, an EF-1 tornado hit NE Williamson County around Jonah and Weir. No one was hurt but a good bit of stuff got thrown around!

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How many of you got to go to the Belton HamExpo earlier in April? I got to go and I spent some money for once...$205 to be exact. But I needed everything I bought, including around 200 ft of ladderline and a Carolina Windom thrown in for practically nothing! I'm going to get it the ladderline installed once the weather gets better; hopefully that will help me on 80 meters a lot better. Right now I can only use about 50 watts output on 80 or otherwise I get a little RF burn and a little arcing in my tuner. That won't do. Also, I can't get above 17 meters reliably. So I have to try the ladderline and install the Windom. I'll let you know what happens.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

New MySpace Site

I now have a new MySpace page where I have a couple of pics and two music playlists. I would really like to have everyone who reads this blog and has a MySpace account to jump on board. Check the website here and let me know what you think. I could really use some help with backgrounds, videos and other things. There will be a link from my main website that will be available.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

The 2009 CQ Magazine WW WPX Contest

Last weekend I participated in the 2009 version of CQ Magazine's WW WPX Contest with the intent of testing out the delta loop I had set up for HF and to give out some points to those who were going to turn in a log. I wound up with 68 QSOs and 5 DX countries for the short time I operated. 20 and 40 were the bands I used. Best DX: Isle of Man...MI0M on 20. Not bad! But I need to work on the antenna some more so I can run full power on 75/80 meters. I can run only about 60 watts and I get into the TVs in the house even then, so I have to limit my operating on that band and work on some better feedline and do some filtering. I know that I have at least 5 cards to send to those on eQSL that want mine so I guess I'll get that done.

I still need to somehow set up a sloper for 20 meters and up in order to use the higher bands more efficently. The loop will tune fine for up to the very lower part of 15 but that's it. I want to use 15, 12 and 10 meters but can't get there with the loop the way it is now. This project is number 1 on my list.

Not much else right now...still have some things on the back burner but will eventually get to them.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

Things Do Change, I Guess...

Well gang, things do not necessarily go as planned. The trip to Magnolia had to be postponed, and there were good reasons for that. It will be rescheduled and the trip and intended installations will take place.

I have also made changes to my website. For quite some time I had planned to set up a STORM SPOTTER CENTRAL section on my website. I had done a lot of work on it but much more needed to be taken care of. I never had the time to do what was needed and I also realized that there were several out there that didn't like the idea of such information to be made available by yours truly. Work constraints had also played a role in my lack of time. So I decided to just drop the idea for now. The SSC section could return, but for now it's simply on the back burner.

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I did have a hair-raising event happen last night. For those who don't know, I have sleep apnea...and it can be a problem. It started back in the late 80s when I began to gain weight and it continues to this day. Well, last night I had a pretty bad apnea case. My throat had tightened up and some stomach bile had backed up into my throat at the same time. I woke up and it took a long time for me to get my breath back but I did. It was pretty scary.

At least I know what happened and what caused it. Simply put, my diet is totally out of whack and I do not get enough exercise at all. I know what to do and how to do it and I'm going to put an end to this. For those who have sleep apnea, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For those who don't, look it up and read about it. It's actually a pretty dangerous condition!

I'll keep everyone posted from time to time on how I'm doing with my diet changes and such. My exercise will commence TODAY, and I plan to involve Amateur Radio by way of crossband repeating off the 147.180 W5BCR repeater. I've done it quite a few times and it's fun!

Stay tuned...

The Dream is Almost Reality...

Well, gang...I am closer to realizing a dream that I have had for years. If you remember, in the past I had mentioned that I would love to operate mobile or portable from 80 meters through 70 cm in multiple modes. Next weekend I will have taken a major step toward making that a reality.

Next weekend I will be travelling to Magnolia, Texas to visit my long-time friend Randy Friesenhahn, KA5IIA. He has a bunch of stuff for me as a belated Christmas present that we will be installing in the car, including a trunk lip mount that will go with the two I have purchased in Austin last weekend. I still have my Comet SBB-7 dual-band antenna that I am currently using as a scanner antenna (it works great, by the way!) but will switch its usage over to 2m/70cm for my Yaesu FT-8800R permenently. When I have a few more bucks in place, especially when my income tax refund comes in, I will purchase another dual-band antenna, a good mobile scanner antenna, and a wide series of hamstick antennas that will range from 6 meters all the way down to 75/80 meters. In time I will look for loop antennas like the M2 series and set those up in a mobile configuration but this will happen just yet. But also, Randy and I have been friends for 32 years and it's going to be great visiting him over the weekend. I'm really looking forward to this trip.

After that is done, I will begin to look for Yagi or quad antennas for the following bands: 6, 2, and 70 cm. This will be for any possible activity that might come up later on. For 2 and 70 cm, I will need at least 5-7 elements for each band. For 6, 2-3 elements should do fine.

Another thing I will be working on (and only AFTER the mobile installation is complete) is selling my ICOM T90A tri-band HT along with the batteries, rapid charger and cigarette lighter charger I have to go with the radio. The box and manual will go with the gear. The only thing wrong with the radio AT ALL is where a screw attaches a clip mount to a belt loop. The screw got lost and I tried to put another one on it but the hole has now gotten a bit larger and no screw stays in place now. This is a cosmetic issue only (and only in one very small spot on the back of the radio) and the functionality of the HT itself is great!

Why am I selling the T90A? I want to buy the new Yaesu VX-8R HT. It's a very cool radio that has a bunch of features and will do lots for me in the field. The VX-8R is a quad band radio with the following bands: 6m, 2m, 440, and 222. It will run 5 watts on 6, 2, and 440 FM, 1.5 watts on 222 FM, and 1 watt on 6m AM. That's right; I said 6m AM. Just another opportunity to operate where others don't usually go and to have more capability to operate where and when needed.

This major upgrade in equipment is really needed so I can continue to do what I love and that is ham radio. I can provide a major public service capability that a lot of others can't or won't do, and I can operate in ways that I have always wanted to try. Awards for example include handing out counties for USA-CA. There are several counties close by that aren't usually activated. I can do this on the County Hunters Net or during the Texas QSO Party or just about anywhere. WAS and DXCC can be had a little easier because there is more of a tendency for DX stations or far-flung states to answer you if you give your call and say that you're mobile or portable.

Once it's all said and done, I will be able to operate using SSB, FM, and AM on a wide variety of bands. I even plan to but a cheap straight key and add velcro straps to it and connect it to my thigh and operate CW mobile as I drive to and from work each day (44 miles from Valley Mills to Temple), or elsewhere.

Storm spotting will be better for me as well, since I will have a dual-band radio in the car and I will also have my police scanner going to I can keep up with what is happening wherever I'm at.

All in all, I will have the (almost) complete mobile package in place. By the end of March I should be able to have everything together and on the air. I can't wait!!!

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

Personal Radio Communications Update

Right off here's a shout out to KD5NJR for commenting on one of my earlier blog entries. Thanks, and do comment often. The rest of you that read this blog, by ALL means feel free to comment here; I'd love to hear from you. You can also email me direct at wr1tx@wr1tx.net
if you choose; I'll be glad to hear from one and all.

Well, here's the latest update on my personal radio communications upgrading:

I have just installed my Comet SBB-7 2m/70cm antenna to use as my mobile Radio Shack scanner antenna for now. No ham gear in the car yet but at least I can monitor things. The mount is a magnetic mount that is pretty sturdy and will work well until the ham gear goes in. After that I will work on getting a permanent mount for the scanner and continue to monitor the public service stuff like I have always tried to do.

I am also updating what I will be monitoring. I'll keep my Bell County stuff in place, but I will be moving just about everything else I have stored, as well as adding things. Once it's all said and done, I should be able to monitor reasonably well the following counties wherever I go: Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Hamilton, Lampasas, Somervell, Erath, Hill, Limestone, McLennan, and Johnson. The jury is still out on adding Comanche, Hood and Mills counties. In addition to the Bell County EDACS system that I have already in memory, I will add the Waco/McLennan trunked system and the part of the ETBC ambulance system that covers McLennan County and the immediate area. I will also have to move things around on my scanner but I had already planned to do that anyhow. Things that will get moved include the ham frequencies (but I will also add some), the railroads (also adding a few frequencies), the FRS and the MURS stuff.

As far as the mobile ham gear is concerned, all is a go for now to get the gear installed later this month. I drove to Austin yesterday to pick up two trunk lip mounts, one with an NMO base and the other a 3/8 x 24 base. While I was there I took a really good look at the hamstick antennas that were there. I didn't see the ones from the Lakeview Company but I did look at the Hustler series with the resonators and such. They look to add a bit of weight and load to the trunk mounts ultimately so I have decided to seriously consider the Workman single band sticks. They are reasonably priced, about $20 each per band for 6 meters down through 40 except for 75 meters which is near $25. Quick disconnect tools are available at a reasonable price also. I noticed that these antennas seem to sell pretty quickly, so I figure there must be something to them. I do plan to buy an MFJ mobile HF tuner (I already have a 6 meter tuner I can use if I need to) to go with this setup once I buy the antennas.

With all of this done in my 2001 Chevy Malibu I will have the mobile operating capability I will need and I will finally fulfill a dream to be able to operate in this manner. I can continue my storm spotting and do it the way I want to. Furthermore, the station will be set up for a quick disconnect if needed so I can operate portable in a matter of minutes. Of course I will eventually set up a base station like I used to have but with my personal living situation the way it is it just isn't possible.

And of course, now I need to order some new QSL cards that will show me operating portable or mobile. I haven't given out anything from Bosque County yet but it looks like that beginning in March I will be able to do that.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

A New Era...

Well everyone, a new era has begun. George W. Bush is no longer president; Barack Hussein Obama is now in charge. We must now put aside any animosities and anger that existed before, race issues really need to be put aside, and we must come together and work as one country to get the USA back to where she needs to be. We must pull together and support President Obama as he tackles several different and very demanding issues that lay before him and us. Things won't be fixed overnight, certainly, but they will be fixed in time. Please be patient and pray for and support our new president as he begins travelling a very difficult road ahead.

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Meanwhile, I have plans to take a weekend trip down to Magnolia, TX sometime in February to visit my old friend Randy Friesenhahn, KA5IIA. The plans for us are simple: set up my Yaesu FT-8800R for operation in the car and set up power-up capability for my Yaesu FT-857D to use in the car should I decide to use it then. Of course this means buying HF mobile antennas and VHF/UHF mobile loop antennas, but I like having the capability to operate in almost any capacity possible. There will also be the capability of adding a scanner antenna so I can monitor everything else that goes on no matter where I'm at in Central Texas.

This is only the very beginning of my Amateur Radio equipment upgrades; I am still looking to eventually add 222 MHz gear and to add digital mode capability. Furthermore, I will be looking to purchase a laptop computer with some of my income tax refund so I can do have a much better online presence and even be able to get on EchoLink from time to time to visit the LSARA nets like I would like to. But the most important thing is that I will be better able to communicate than I have been able to do before.

Also, the laptop purchase should allow me to update my website more often and keep it more current than I have been able to do. Of course, things happen; but I try. That's all I can do. Maybe by the end of February I can finally have things on the right path. We will see.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX

Happy New Year!

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! I hope that 2009 turns out to be a great year for you.

And as of yesterday (Jan 2) I have turned 45. Another year older and I actually feel it this time.

I'm really looking forward to making this year special for me. I plan to do a lot in ham radio and weather if I possibly can. I've said before what I wish to do and I plan to make it happen this year. Nothing more need be said.

Stay tuned...

WR1TX